Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the farm income figures for 2002.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is today publishing the Scottish farm income figures. The estimated figures show that Total Income from Farming (TIFF) rose by 15% in 2002, to £329 million. The rise in the Scottish figures reflects the recovery from foot-and-mouth disease in 2001, as well as some improvements in both livestock commodity markets and the value of the euro against sterling.

  Average net farm income (NFI) for all farm types is forecast to have risen by 75% between 2000-01 and 2001-02, from £6,000 to £10,500. This figure relates to farms not directly affected by foot-and-mouth disease culling. There is considerable variation in income trends by farm type, with dairy and Less Favoured Area livestock farms showing significant increases in NFI whilst specialist sheep and cereal farms saw a decline in their performance. Detailed estimates of the outputs, inputs and income for 2001-02 at both the aggregate level and by farm type will be published this morning and will be placed in the library of the Scottish Parliament.

  I welcome these forecast rises in income. However, I recognise that agricultural incomes remain well below the recent peak in the mid 1990s.

Digital Technology

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used to decide who the selected bidders will be as referred to in section 4 of Connecting Scotland: our broadband future; Making it Happen .

Mr Andy Kerr: The criteria used to determine which companies will be invited to negotiate are technical capacity, a proven track record of successful delivery of similar services and financial standing.

Digital Technology

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the final contracts for the pathfinder procurement process referred to in section 4 of Connecting Scotland: our broadband future: Making it Happen will be awarded on the basis of cost only or whether guarantees of overall service provision will also be taken into account.

Mr Andy Kerr: Contracts will be awarded on the basis of best value for money, which takes account of quality as well as cost. The contracts will require guaranteed minimum standards of service. Bids which fail to meet those required minimum standards will not be accepted.

Digital Technology

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are in place to ensure the continued administration of the South of Scotland Pathfinder project when the posts of project manager and assistant fall vacant in March 2003, given the procurement process set out in section 4 of Connecting Scotland: our broadband future: Making it Happen .

Mr Andy Kerr: Plans for the Pathfinder procurement in the south of Scotland envisage the continued involvement of these posts.

Education

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve parental involvement in education.

Cathy Jamieson: One of the key priorities from the national debate is to involve parents more in their children’s education by providing new national guidelines giving parents access and by reviewing and reforming the role of School Boards and Parent Teacher Associations.

  We already support various initiatives which recognise that education not only takes place in school, and which encourage parents to become involved in their own children’s learning.

Energy Efficiency

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses have received funding under the Loan Action Scotland scheme since April 2002 and how many of these were small businesses with less than 50 employees.

Lewis Macdonald: Eleven companies have had loans approved since April 2002. Of these, eight companies have 50 employees or less.

Energy Efficiency

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any change in the criteria for receiving a loan under the Loan Action Scotland scheme since the scheme was established.

Lewis Macdonald: Yes. The upper limit of loans increased in November 2002 from £25,000 to £50,000.

Equal Opportunities

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to advocate sexual equality in the workplace in relation to terms and conditions of employment, particularly in relation to pay and opportunities for promotion.

Ms Margaret Curran: Terms and conditions of employment, including pay, and the prohibition of discrimination and regulation of equal opportunities within the workplace are reserved matters.

  Within its devolved competence to encourage equal opportunities, the Scottish Executive is leading by example by carrying out its own equal pay review. It is also working in partnership with a range of organisations representing employers and employees to support the Close the Gap campaign which was launched in March 2001 to raise awareness about the gender pay gap in Scotland and encourage activity to close the gap.

Football

Mr Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that the funding that was set aside for the European Football Championships in 2008 is used to develop youth football.

Mike Watson: I am already on the record as saying that a substantial amount of the funds set aside for Euro 2008 will be committed to the development of youth sport including football. I met with the SFA and sport scotland this week to discuss the issue. The current review into youth football development will help to inform decisions about how youth football might benefit.

Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in respect of any discrimination by insurance companies and other agencies against pregnant women routinely tested for HIV in the Greater Glasgow NHS Board area from April 2003.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is for individual insurance companies to decide applicants’ insurance premiums taking account of actuarial calculation of risks, company underwriting practice, and the commercial environment in which they operate. The Financial Services Authority regulates the insurance industry. Complaints against insurers’ decisions are dealt with by the Financial Ombudsman Service.

  In 1994, the Association of British Insurers issued guidance to their members recommending that they should not ask insurance applicants whether they had taken an HIV test, had counselling with such a test, or received a negative test result. Insurers should only ask if the applicant has had a positive test, is awaiting a test result, or receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS. The guidance remains in force and was reiterated in 2002 in joint guidance with the British Medical Association on medical information and insurance.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have well-being alliances.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following local authorities are known to have well-being alliances:

  
 Angus East 
Dunbartonshire Highland 
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar  Fife
North Ayrshire  Dundee City
Glasgow Perth and Kinross 

  COSLA’s Public Health Improvement Team have indicated that they intend to undertake a dialogue and audit of local authorities development as health improvement organisations and expect to identify partnership and alliance working from this exercise. Other local authorities may also have these alliances but information on this is not held centrally.

  Most local authorities have, within the community planning process, set up joint working groups to produce Joint Health Improvement Plans for their areas.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of whole-time equivalent consultant rheumatologists per head of population is in line with the recommended level set by its Health Department, the British Society for Rheumatology, the Royal College of Physicians and the World Health Organisation.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: There were 22.8 whole-time equivalent (WTE) rheumatology consultants employed in NHS Scotland as at 30 September 2001. The Scotland mid-year population estimate is 5,064,200 as at 30 June 2001. This equates to one WTE consultant per 222,114 population, or 0.45 WTE consultants per 100,000 head of population.

  Number of WTE Consultant Rheumatologists Per 100,000 of Population in Scotland

  
  WTE/100,000 
Population  Actual data from Medical 
and Dental Manpower Census 0.45
 Recommended by Department of Health
0.67   Recommended 
by British Society for Rheumatology 1.18 
  Recommended by Royal College of 
Physicians 0.67 
 Recommended by World Health Organisation
0.67  

  Source: Medical and Dental Census and General Register Office for Scotland.

Health

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHS has any contractual relationships with the British Pregnancy Advisory Service and, if so, what services the advisory service provides.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: There are no contractual arrangements for the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) to provide services to the NHS in Scotland. The BPAS occupies NHS premises at the Sandyford Initiative, Glasgow, as a paying tenant. It is, however, a completely separate organisation.

Health

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or the NHS is in discussions with the British Pregnancy Advisory Service on the advisory service providing new or additional services.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Executive has had no discussions with the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) and has not been made aware of any discussions between the BPAS and any NHS board.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to issue guidance on the roles and responsibilities of incident control teams.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Medical Officer has today published guidance on incident and outbreak management, for consultation. NHS Scotland, local authorities and other stakeholders have been invited to comment on the guidance by 30 May 2003. Their views will be taken into account when the guidance is next reviewed.

  The guidance will be reviewed and updated periodically, taking account of feedback from stakeholders and lessons learned from future incidents or outbreaks.

  The guidance was developed as a consequence of recommendations made by the Ad Hoc Group on Health and Public Water Supply, which was established following cryptosporidium-related incidents in Glasgow and Edinburgh in August last year.

Higher Education

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the First Minister what impact the changes to Her Majesty’s Government’s funding policy for higher education in the rest of the UK will have on the Scottish budget.

Mr Jack McConnell: The implications of any changes will be considered by Phase 2 of the Review of Higher Education, announced by Iain Gray last week.

Holocaust Memorial Day

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is marking Holocaust Memorial Day 2003.

Mr Jim Wallace: The UK event to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day, which was held in the Usher Hall in Edinburgh on 27 January this year, was sponsored by a partnership between the Home Office, the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Executive, and organised with the support of a broadly-based planning group. The Scottish Executive also funded the preparation of an education pack on the Holocaust for use in Scottish secondary schools, which was launched on 26 November 2002.

  In keeping with this year’s theme of Children and the Holocaust, the City of Edinburgh Council organised a full programme of supporting events, designed to increase knowledge of the Holocaust and to encourage young people to engage with the issues it raises. The supporting events included:

  "In Your Shoes, In My Shoes" – a creative arts exhibition at the Traverse Theatre from 20 January.

  "Out of Europe – Children of the Holocaust" - drama performed by young people at the Traverse Theatre on 21 and 22 January.

  "100 Nights" – an exhibition focusing on genocide in Rwanda in the Central Library from 15 to 31 January

  "Justice, War Crimes, Genocide and the New World Order" – a lecture by Fergal Keane at the Hub on 23 January

  "Lessons for the Future" – an educational conference at the Traverse Theatre on 23 January.

  "I knew I was Painting for My Life" – the Holocaust artworks of Marianne Grant at the City Arts Centre from 23 January to 1 March.

  "I was a Slave Labourer" – documentary film at the Filmhouse from 24 to 27 January.

  "The Pianist" – film based on a true story at the Filmhouse from 24 January.

  "The Pianist – The Context" lecture event on 6 February.

  "All our Futures" – music reading and dance at the Usher Hall on 26 January.

  "Book of Commitment and Light one Candle" – the opportunity for the public to sign the Book of Commitment and light a candle in remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust at the City Chambers from 25 to 27 January.

  Songs of Praise – BBC Broadcast on 26 January.

Justice

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action its Justice Department is taking to tackle homophobic hate crime.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33200 on 27 January 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search ..

Justice

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the law officers have reviewed prosecution policy for causing death by dangerous driving and, if so, what the results are of the review.

Colin Boyd QC: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has reviewed the policy for prosecutions under sections 1 and 3A of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Having regard to the range of sentences currently being imposed by courts in Scotland for such offences, the Home Office’s proposals to increase the maximum penalty from 10 years to 14 years imprisonment, and the public concern about such cases, I have decided that there should now be a presumption that offences under sections 1 and 3A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 will be prosecuted in the High Court of Justiciary. Prosecutions in the sheriff court will take place only where there are particular circumstances which appear to mitigate the offence.

  This policy, which applies to all new indictments taken from 13 January, will be kept under review, and, in particular, will be reconsidered in the light of any increase in the sentencing power of the sheriff court arising out of the review into the High Court by Lord Bonomy.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the First Minister what resources will be available to support communities buying their own land under the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Mr Jack McConnell: Communities will be able to seek assistance from a range of bodies, including Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the New Opportunities Fund Scottish Land Fund.

Libraries

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to widen access to libraries.

Mike Watson: Library services are a matter for individual local authorities. The COSLA Public Library Standards have been in place since 1995 and these include recommendations on extending library opening hours, provision for the needs of disabled users and access to services by the residents of care homes and sheltered housing. Local authorities are responsible for setting library opening hours, within their budgets. Local authorities must comply with current legislation on access, ensuring that buildings are physically accessible to users.

  The People's Network Project, which has included a massive investment in libraries to connect them to the internet, specifically £50 million for the development of content, £2.7 million for staff ICT training and £11.5 million for computer hardware, software and internet connection, will also extend access to e-Learning, cultural content and information.

  The People's Network will make specialist equipment and software available in certain libraries across the country. Two local pilots (North Lanarkshire Sheltered Housing Project and North Ayrshire Jump Leads Project) are also offering computer access to those unable to visit the library. The Scottish Library and Information Council also aims to develop a best practice framework for libraries to offer those with disabilities access to the internet.

Local Government

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to further reform of local government.

Mr Andy Kerr: We are committed to strengthening local governance and improving public services and are bringing forward a number of measures to achieve this. The Local Government in Scotland Bill, approved by Parliament earlier this month, places local authorities at the heart of community planning, replaces CCT with Best Value and gives local authorities the power of well-being. We will also be publishing a Local Governance Bill before the end of this parliamentary session which will seek to improve the governance of our local authorities.

NHS Funding

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from Grampian NHS Board in respect of the Arbuthnott formula.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: I understand that the Minister for Health and Community Care has received a letter from Dr Morrison, the chairman of the Area Medical Committee in Grampian, which raised a number of concerns about the Arbuthnott formula. Mr Chisholm has written to Dr Morrison answering his concerns. It has also been explained to him that we have already increased substantially expenditure on the NHS in Grampian and elsewhere, and are committed to further substantial increases over the next three years.

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made regarding the introduction of action programmes for farmers in nitrate vulnerable zones.

Ross Finnie: Last April, I announced consultation on the proposed action programme measures for farmers in nitrate vulnerable zones. During the consultation period stakeholders raised concerns about the cost of the proposed action programme measures. I have listened to these concerns and have today introduced programmes which aim to produce the required nitrate savings at a significantly reduced cost for the farming community. We are taking this forward in partnership with farmers, and regulations providing for a 40% grant scheme to assist them with slurry storage requirements have also been introduced today.

  Guidance will shortly be issued to all farmers in nitrate vulnerable zones, providing advice on implementation of the action programme measures. These have been designed in consultation with National Farmers' Union Scotland and other stakeholders, and incorporate changes arising from the concerns raised by them during the consultation period.

Public Appointments

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the appointment of active members of the Labour Party to the boards of public bodies.

Mr Andy Kerr: Appointments to public bodies are made solely on merit following a fair and open process that involves independent scrutiny. An applicant’s political activity or affiliation has no bearing on the criteria for selection.

Public Transport

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much (a) has been committed in each of the last three years and (b) is projected to be committed in future years on transport improvements for the regions as referred to in the leaflets associated with its transport delivery report, Scotland’s Transport: Delivering Improvements: Transport Indicators for Scotland , including improvements arising from any new announcements since the report’s publication, expressed per capita and broken down by region.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-24402 on 26 April 2002, S1W-25485 on 27 May 2002 and S1W-28643 on 4 October 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .. More detailed information than that already given on spending commitments for future years is not currently available.

Rail Network

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the re-opening of railway stations on existing lines and what criteria it sets before giving support.

Iain Gray: Proposals to re-open a particular station are a local transport matter and as such are the responsibility of the relevant local transport authority or transport partnership to take forward.

  The Scottish Executive is always keen to engage with local authorities and others who wish to develop major rail infrastructure projects. Funding is in principle available from the Executive's Integrated Transport Fund for such projects if a robust business case can be made. We would in particular wish to see that such proposals are founded in well-prepared and widely accepted local or regional transport strategies that clearly contribute to the Executive's vision of a modern, safe, reliable and integrated transport system and lever in private investment.

Rail Network

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact re-opening the railway line between Airdrie and Bathgate will have on rail services in Edinburgh.

Iain Gray: The reinstatement of the Airdrie to Bathgate railway is one of the key recommendations emerging from the Central Scotland Transport Corridor Studies. The re-opening of the line would improve rail services between the West of Edinburgh and East of Glasgow.

Regional Selective Assistance

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how businesses will benefit from recent Regional Selective Assistance grant offers.

Iain Gray: Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) helps businesses to grow and develop by supporting investment projects that might otherwise not have proceeded as envisaged.

  The RSA quarterly report, published on 22 January, showed that in the three months to December 2002, 43 businesses in Scotland accepted over £12 million in RSA. These offers related to projects with planned investment of nearly £80 million with the aim of creating and safeguarding over 1,500 jobs.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000

Angus MacKay (Edinburgh South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will issue final codes of practice on covert surveillance and covert human intelligence sources under section 24 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000.

Mr Jim Wallace: Today we issued final codes of practice on covert surveillance and covert human intelligence sources. These codes provide a framework within which public authorities covered by the legislation should exercise the powers and duties under the 2000 act. The codes of practice will not come into force until draft orders under section 24(5) of the 2000 act have been laid before and obtain approval by resolution of the Parliament.

Scottish Arts Council

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet representatives of the Scottish Arts Council and what issues will be discussed.

Mike Watson: The Scottish Executive are in regular contact with the Scottish Arts Council. No date or agenda for the next meeting has yet been set.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs were of printing, publishing and distributing Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland: 2000-2001 .

Mr Andy Kerr: The total costs of printing, publishing and distributing the Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland: 2000-2001 report are estimated at £5,600.

Scottish Water

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scottish Water about the maintenance of the public water supply.

Ross Finnie: The investment programme presently being implemented by Scottish Water for the period 2002 to 2006 is that identified following the Quality and Standards 2 assessment. That process involved both consultation with industry stakeholders including the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), the Water Services Unit (Drinking Water Regulation Team) of the Scottish Executive, the Water Industry Commissioner (WIC) and public consultation.

  Full details are available in Water Quality and Standards 2002-2006 as approved by Scottish ministers. This document was lodged with the Parliament’s Reference Centre on publication – (Bib. number 15676).

  In addition, as owner, the Scottish Executive has on-going discussions with Scottish Water regarding quality and standards, including the maintenance of the public water supply.

Security Industry

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in developing proposals to regulate the private security industry.

Mr Jim Wallace: We remain committed to regulating the private security industry and are still considering how to do this. We will make an announcement as soon as we are in a position to do so.

Social Work

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the current shortage of social workers in children’s services.

Cathy Jamieson: I announced a 12-point Action Plan for the social services workforce on 18 April last year. This is being delivered in full. The current recruitment and awareness campaign has had a significant impact. It is clear from responses that many people aspire to a career in the sector, including services for children and families.

  On the 27th of January 2003 I announced a package to achieve more qualified social workers quickly. This includes:

  A scheme which offers the possibilities of reimbursement of undergraduate social work student loans up to £9,000 per student;

  an invitation to COSLA to set up a pilot fast track graduate trainee scheme;

  around £2 million over this financial year and the next to improve and increase practice placements;

  increased funding for universities for practice placements costs of £1,500 per undergraduate student per degree;

  an additional £500,000 over the next two years for e-learning projects;

  a Return to Practice programme to enable those who qualified in the past and have left the profession to return to the workforce, and

  an additional £92,000 to the voluntary sector to increase the numbers of staff undertaking qualifying training programmes.